


I dream in blue

by Astronautes_et_Dragons



Category: The Expanse (TV)
Genre: Earth, Gen, Mars, Terraforming, spoilers for the first season
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-09
Updated: 2017-10-09
Packaged: 2019-01-15 05:01:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12314259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astronautes_et_Dragons/pseuds/Astronautes_et_Dragons
Summary: "It would have been nice, to see an ocean on Mars."





	I dream in blue

He collapses on the chair more than he sits down, and between two breathes accompanied by a wheezing sound allows the control of the commands. His thoughts soon drift to another time and another place.

“What are you looking at?”

The man whose skin and hair are marked by many years blinks, and turns his head toward the boy rubbing his eyes a few meters away from him.

“Why are you up? You should be in bed. You have trouble sleeping?”

The times when his father is away on mission at the other end of the Sol system are always the most difficult; even if he does everything he can to be as present as possible for his family.

He nods energetically, then remarks with a frown. “You did not answer my question.”

His interlocutor cannot help but smile at the serious tone and expression displayed by the five years old, as if he had particularly offended him by not giving him the information he had demanded.

“I wasn’t looking at anything.”

The frown deepens. “But you were staring into space. Are you broken?”

“No,” he chuckles softly. “I was lost in my thoughts. I was thinking about the ocean.”

“The ocean?”

“Yes. Would you like to hear more about that?” he asks, his eyes sparkling.

The young boy quickly pulls a chair, perches himself, and listens eagerly as his grandfather tells him about this vast expanse of water that stretches as far as the gaze can go.

“The ocean is blue, a bit like your eyes, but when the ocean is angry it turns green and gray, and there are huge waves,” he says, stretching his arm up as if he wanted to touch the ceiling. “And sometimes, when the ocean is very, very angry, they submerge the boats. There are also animals with mouths full of teeth sharper than blades, and others bigger than a man and that would swallow you whole.”

His eyes widen and his breath catches in his throat. “I don’t want to go there!” he cried.

“Don’t worry most of them live in places even deeper than the craters we know, where no one can go. You are safe,” he reassured him before adding teasingly in a mock serious voice. “Besides, you are way too thin for them.”

He grows up hearing stories about that place that is both gorgeous and fierce, and soon notices the sorrow and longing in the old man’s eyes. For the first time he sees him as he really is; he realizes that upon leaving his home, he also left his heart and soul behind. He realizes that they will forever remain on the blue planet, just like the ships sleeping in the belly of the ocean with colorful fishes guarding their treasures.

Later, following his father’s steps, he enters the Martian navy. He flies among the stars and across the vastness of space, not unlike those men who braved the ocean.

He has not forgotten his grandfather’s stories. But he no longer wants to see the ocean. Not on Earth.

Instead, he dreams of the day when his planet will also be draped in blue, green or grey.

He dreams of the day when his people will be able to feel the warmth of the sun on their skin, and the caress of the wind.

But for now this is bound to be just that —a dream. He is reminded why after interrogating one of the Earthers they took on board. They have always been slowing them down, certainly wanting to be the only ones who can breathe freely and contemplate this blue immensity. But they are going to succeed. They are Martians; it takes more to deter them. One day their planet will be draped in blue, green or gray. And they will not make the same mistake. They will cherish their home, unlike them who destroyed theirs because of their greed. How could they not realize the chance they had and wasted? How could they have destroyed something so precious?

His breathing becomes more laborious and his eyelids heavier by the second. He knows that he will not see the ocean on his home. That does not matter.

There are other Martians, who dream of seeing their planet draped in blue, green or gray.

There will be other Martians, who will see their planet draped in blue, green or gray.


End file.
